SO SAD: Nursing Mother Contracts Ebola from Sawyer In Lagos

A medical doctor has revealed how a nursing
mother contracted the deadly Ebola virus at a
Lagos hospital. It was learnt that the woman
was the patient who visited the Nigerian
National Petroleum Corporation staff clinic
on Muri Okunola Street in the Victoria Island
area of Lagos.
The doctor, who had a first-hand information
of the incident, said the nursing mother had
first visited the First Consultant Medical
Centre, Obalende.
He said, "The lady attended ante-natal at
First Consultant prior to the arrival of
the Liberian, Mr. Patrick Sawyer. She
was delivered of her baby at the hospital
after which she was discharged.
"A few weeks later, Mr. Sawyer came
around and was attended to by health
workers. He was first treated for
malaria, then typhoid, before there was
high index of suspicion. He tested
positive for Ebola and died.
"Then the woman, who gave birth at the
hospital came back to the hospital for
her baby's immunisation. The nurses
who attended to Sawyer also attended to
her.
"When she visited the place again last
week, she discovered the place had been
shut down for proper fumigation as a
means of control against Ebola."
He told Punch that the nursing mother
decided to visit a neighbouring clinic which
was the NNPC clinic. He said it was there she
began her treatment after she fell ill.
"She was first treated for Malaria. However,
after some medical tests, there was a high
suspicion of Ebola haemorrhagic fever. On
Friday, the Lagos State's emergency response
team on Ebola virus came around and took
her to the Infectious Diseases Hospital," he
added.
The mother and her baby, who were taken
away from the hospital on Friday, have been
quarantined.
Confirming the report, the Medical Officer of
Health, Iru-Victoria Island LCDA, Dr. Wale
Akeredolu, said the patient tested positive to
the Ebola virus after a second test was
conducted on her.
He confirmed the incident at a sensitisation
programme organised for residents of the Eti-
Osa on Monday.
He said "The baby has also been quarantined
to see if after the incubation period of two to
21 days, she would manifest the symptoms of
Ebola."
The council boss, Abayomi Daramola,
appealed to residents not to shirk their
responsibilities on the pretext of running
away from the virus.
He said, "This is a trying time in Nigeria. But
the presence of Ebola does not mean people
should run away from their responsibilities.
The public apprehension is what can even
spread the disease faster. So, people should
just follow personal hygiene, use sanitisers
and wash their hands regularly."